CHICAGO, May 20, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- DTZ, a leading global property services firm, has announced a restructuring of its Global Occupier Services (GOS) leadership team in order to support and strengthen existing client relationships while enhancing the value of the service lines to new occupier clients. GOS was specifically created to meet the needs of the world's largest occupiers seeking regional or global solutions to manage their real estate portfolios. As a strategic partner to our clients, GOS provides global, integrated, comprehensive strategy, management and coordinated local execution to optimize the real estate portfolios of many of the world's leading enterprises.

To further this mission, Quentin Knights, who formerly led GOS Americas operations has been named to the newly created position of Executive Vice President of Global Operations, GOS. Currently based in Palo Alto, CA, Mr. Knights will be relocating to DTZ Global Headquarters in Chicago. Concurrent with the appointment of Mr. Knights, DTZ announced that Todd Richardson, Senior Vice President of New Business Development in Facilities Management (a nearly $1 billion business for DTZ in the Americas) will move into a new position as Head of Business Development for GOS Americas. Mr. Richardson will maintain his office in Boston.

Quentin Knights joined DTZ in 2006 to oversee global account management functions for U.S. corporate clients. With over 25 years of commercial real estate experience, including management and executive-level positions with CBRE in Paris, New York and San Francisco, Mr. Knights is tasked with enhancing, streamlining and ensuring consistencies in GOS performance and reporting, including implementation of a global customer insight program. "To support DTZ's growth, we need to provide an enhanced level of service to our clients by managing our GOS business on a truly global basis," commented Mr. Knights. "Optimizing the efficiency and alignment of our talent and systems worldwide will further differentiate DTZ as a market leader in Global Occupier Services."

Since joining DTZ in March 2013, Todd Richardson has been leading the Facilities Management sales and business development team in North America. Prior to DTZ, Todd served as Senior Vice President at ABM Facility Services, where he led national business development and marketing efforts, focusing on large multi-regional, multi-service corporate real estate clients. In his new role, Mr. Richardson will integrate and lead all occupier sales and new business development teams in North America.